Computer systems are becoming increasingly complex. It is not unusual for a single computer system to include a combination of several computer components. Though the components may include diverse types of equipment (e.g., telephonic equipment or computing equipment), system users usually prefer that the system be housed in a common enclosure. This preference influenced the development of rack storage devices (racks). Racks are standard in the computer industry and allow components to be placed within them in a modular fashion such that various combinations of components can be integrated into a single system.
A number of vendors sell standard EIA (Electronics Industries Association) racks, which comply with EIA specifications. These specifications include size limitations. Many of these racks employ a fairly simple slide device for securing the system components within the rack. The slide device extends from the rack to facilitate the accessing of the component and retracts into the rack to allow for the in-place securing of the component. The slide device is not, however, essential.
Whether a rack employs the slide device or some other component mounting device, each component is often releasably secured to the rack. As such, the component and the mounting hardware necessary to secure the component in place must fit within the rack. With components designed for rack storage, this is rarely a problem. With desk side and desk top components, however, EIA rack width limitations can be troublesome.
Conventional rack mounting hardware includes a component face plate which is wider than the component itself. As such, a portion of the face plate, sometimes referred to as an "ear", extends beyond the width of the component. The ear provides a surface for securely attaching the component to a rack. This mounting option, however, is often unsatisfactory for components designed for desk side and desk top storage. These devices usually have an existing face plate that is similar in width to the component. As such, there is no ear for attaching the component to the rack. Moreover, these devices are often too wide to allow for horizontal mounting with a bolt-on ear flange. As a result, ears cannot be added to the side of many computer components, because such an addition would make the component too wide to fit horizontally within a typical EIA rack.
When a user desires to mount a component that is too wide in a rack, the user usually resorts to vertical mounting. There are several disadvantages associated with this conventional solution. For example, vertical mounting requires the use of unusual and more costly mounting hardware. In addition, vertical mounting techniques may waste valuable rack storage space by leaving unused horizontal space between adjacent components. Moreover, the user is, generally, unable to fill this unused space with other components mounted in a side by side vertical manner. Most conventional slide mechanisms are not designed to support, in an extended position, the additional weight produced with side by side mounting.